Institute for Integrative Nutrition

If you're thinking about a career as a health coach, you may have come across the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)as an option to help you meet educational goals and prepare you for your career. But you might be wondering if a health coaching certification will ensure your qualifications match what employers are looking for. Knowing more about the Institute for Integrative Nutrition will help you determine if this educational institution is right for you.

What Is It?

One of the largest nutrition schools in the world, IIN was founded in 1992 by Joshua Rosenthal. The institute provides holistic nutrition and health coach learning opportunities for many students in more than 150 countries around the world. What's unique about this educational institution is while it's headquartered in New York City, its courses are 100 percent online. The IIN health coach certification program is one year in length.

Curriculum

IIN says when signing up for the certification program, you'll learn everything you need to know about how to be a successful health coach. The curriculum includes a holistic approach to wellness and nutrition concepts, hundreds of dietary theories, and interpersonal, active listening, marketing, and business skills. You'll be able to interact with other online students, IIN staff, and personal coaches during course training, which consists of weekly audio and visual lectures, quizzes, and tests. Expect to spend 5 to 10 hours each week fulfilling these requirements.

Prerequisites and Cost

Just about anybody can join IIN's health coaching program as the only academic requirement is having a GED. You'll pay about $6,000 for IIN's one-year online health coaching program.

Is the Program Accredited?

IIN's website says the program is licensed by the New York State Department of Education, and some colleges and universities let IIN graduates earn up to 40 collage credits to use toward a bachelor's or master's degree. However, the program itself isn't accredited like other health, nutrition, and fitness degree programs.

Pros and Cons

Pros and cons exist when signing up for IIN's health coaching program. You can earn a health coaching certification upon completion of the program, which may help you land a health coaching position or work for yourself. The program is just one year and is convenient, as you can complete it from the comfort of home. However, IIN's program can be pricey, and you're not guaranteed a health coaching job after completing it. Many health coaching positions require accredited Associate's or Bachelor's degrees in nutrition, fitness, or other health-related fields such as nursing.

Job Outlook

Upon completing a certification from IIN, you can start applying for health coaching positions. Health coaching is a growing field, and many of these positions allow you to set your own hours or work from home. However as previously stated, many health coaching positions seek candidates who have completed a two or four year accredited degree program (such as nursing or nutrition Bachelor of Science degree recipients, registered nurses, or registered dietitians). If you're willing to market and work for yourself, having a health coaching certification can get you headed in the right direction.

IIN Reviews

Many graduates from IIN give the program rave reviews saying it was helpful, interesting, and convenient, while others found the program to be a bit confusing. While numerous graduates are happy with the outcome of the program, some reviewers say the IIN certification works best as a supplement to other degree programs if your goal is a career in health and nutrition. This makes sense, as many health coaching jobs require a two- or four-year degree.

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